Lake Forest Dentist Quizzes You on TMJ Issues

Your jaw is as imperative a part of your dental health as your teeth and gums. There are complexities within your mouth, behind-the-scenes, that we take for granted. Jaw joints that are not in good condition can cause persistent pain. Thankfully, there are solutions. Lake Forest dentist, Dr. James Fondriest, would like to challenge you to a quiz on TMJ pain.

Questions

Q1. True or false – The condition where your jaw joints are irritated, inflamed, and in chronic discomfort is called TMJ.

Q2. True or false – TMD does not always manifest as simple jaw pain.

Q3. True or false – TMD and sciatica are often confused for each other.

Answers

A1. FALSE – TMJ is technically the name for the joints themselves. Temporal bones are on either side of your face, connected to your lower jaw (mandible) by your temporomandibular joints. Many people are accustomed to referring to the condition where these joints are overstressed as TMJ, but it’s actually called temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD).

A3. TRUE – Nerves are a funny thing, and it’s sometimes difficult to discern the direct cause of discomfort in your body. Pain from TMD occasionally can shoot all the way down to the lower body, including the inner thighs. This is also where you would feel sciatica pain. Stress can exacerbate either condition. In fact, it could work in reverse that muscle tension from stress-induced sciatica could radiate up to your jaw and be confused for TMJ discomfort. Take note of as many specifics of your discomfort as possible so you can relate your issues to your general physician or Lake Forest dentist.